Skip Bayless makes bold claim about Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard

Skip Bayless makes bold claim about Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard

The highly criticized FOX Sports analyst Skip Bayless dropped yet another red-hot take on his show Undisputed.

This time, though, Philadelphia 76ers fans are probably going to enjoy it.

Following the trade of former two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, Bayless and his co-host, Shannon Sharpe discussed who the best player in the Eastern Conference is. While most might tend to agree with Sharpe, Bayless’ take might not be too far off.

Bayless argued that Sixers center Joel Embiid is better than the recently-traded Leonard. Bayless calls Embiid “a monster” and says that “he (Kawhi) is not better than Joel Embiid.”

With LeBron James’ departure to the West, the title of the best player in the East is up for grabs. While it’s Embiid’s for the taking, players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving, and possibly even Jayson Tatum deserve to be mentioned. Also, we can’t forget about 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons.

That said, let’s take a quick dive into why Bayless might think Embiid is better than the former Finals MVP.

Reason No. 1: He’s healthy

Embiid played 63 games last season, the most of his NBA career. On the flip side, Leonard played in just nine games due to a nagging quad injury. Leonard, now 27, might struggle to stay healthy even if he is cleared while Embiid might never be healthier than he is now.

Reason No. 2: Embiid is the better scorer

From 20.2 points to 22.9 points per game, Embiid has seen improvement from his rookie season and should continue that improvement into his third year. He’s also added a competent three-point shot to his arsenal, making him one of the league’s most feared big men.

For Leonard though, in his four years of stardom, he’s averaged better than Embiid’s 22.9 points per game just once. That season was the 2016-2017 season when the Klaw finished third in MVP voting and averaged 25.5 points.

Reason No. 3: Defensive impact is closer than you might think

No, Embiid isn’t normally going to lock down the opposing team’s best player. However, he will make that player think twice before he forces his way into the lane. Embiid averaged a combined 2.4 steals and blocks last season while Leonard’s MVP season featured a combined average of 2.5 steals and blocks.

Albeit brief, for those three reasons, Embiid is a strong choice for best Eastern Conference player.